SANTA ANA – A former law-school student has filed a claim for more than $1 million with a state agency contending she was coerced into sexual relations with an Orange County judge, state records show.

The claim, dated May 1, filed with the California Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board, seeks payment from Superior Court Judge Scott Steiner, the California Judicial Council and Orange County Superior Court. The woman claims damages for assault and battery, emotional distress, negligence, discrimination, harassment, loss of job opportunities and retaliation.

Steiner is the subject of a criminal investigation triggered by a letter from one of the woman's attorneys contending that the judge, who also was the woman's professor at Chapman Law School, made unwelcomed sexual advances toward her, escalating from lewd email messages to groping and kissing to forced sex acts in his judicial chambers.

The Jan. 26 letter from the Jose Garay law firm offers to settle out-of-court with Chapman before any "negative publicity" that might result from a lawsuit.

Attorney Paul Meyer, representing Steiner, told the Register in an email Friday that Steiner had a consensual relationship with the woman that ended last year. Meyer characterized the woman's demands for money as an "apparent shakedown."

"Finally we can respond to what has become increasingly clear – this is simply extortion," Meyer said in his prepared statement. "There was a brief consensual relationship between Judge Steiner and a female lawyer in her 30s who had completed (her) Chapman University postgraduate class. The relationship ended last year when it was discovered by her husband. There was never any complaint to law enforcement."

Steiner "regrets his lapse of judgment and apologized to his family shortly after the relationship ended, nearly a year ago," Meyer added.

Meyer said that seven months after the affair ended "a threatening letter was sent to Chapman University warning that disparaging claims about the affair would come to light if money was not paid."

"The letter was filled with lies, which Judge Steiner absolutely denies," Meyer wrote.

"Now, a second demand for money has been made to a compensation agency," Meyer added. "Judge Steiner is saddened by this apparent shakedown and is confident that law-enforcement investigation will reveal that the claims are unfounded."

Steiner, who was elected Superior Court judge in 2010 after a career as a deputy district attorney, stopped teaching an evidence class at Chapman Law School in March after the woman's allegations were forwarded to the District Attorney's Office.

Chapman University spokeswoman Mary Platt said in March she could not comment about Steiner because it is a personnel matter. The Register is not disclosing the woman's name because she is the possible victim of sexual misconduct.

Top Orange County prosecutors immediately handed the case to the California Attorney General's Office for evaluation while the Orange County Sheriff's Department conducted a criminal investigation into Steiner's conduct with the student.

Steiner was transferred in March from his duties as a criminal judge at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana to a civil and small claims court in the North Justice Center in Fullerton.

Sheriff's Lt. Mike Gavin said his department's month-long investigation into the woman's allegations began Feb. 27 and included interviews with court staff, district attorney's personnel and the married law-school student. Among other things, sheriff's investigators searched Steiner's former chambers in the Santa Ana courthouse for forensic evidence of any sexual contact and seized items for analysis, Gavin said.

The results of the investigation were turned over to the Attorney General's Office in early April. Investigators there have since re-interviewed witnesses as part of their independent investigation. State prosecutors are evaluating the evidence to determine if laws were violated and if charges should be filed.

Attorney General's Office spokeswoman Lynda Gledhill has said state prosecutors can not discuss the case because it is under investigation and evaluation, which could take several weeks.

The criminal investigation into allegations of sexual improprieties apparently was triggered by the letter from the Garay law firm signed by associate Elvin Tabah and addressed "To Whom it May Concern."

In the letter, Tabah said Steiner did not deny that he was the reason the law student was offered a six-month position in the Orange County District Attorney's Office and told her "more than once" that she would be fired if she made his sexual advances public.

Meanwhile, the Victims Compensation and Government Claims Board sent a letter to the Garay firm stating it has no jurisdiction over claims against state agencies that are part of the judiciary. The May 7 response said the agency "will take no further action on your claim."

Garay could not be reached for comment despite repeated phone calls. Tabah also did not return a phone call.

Susan Kang Schroeder, the district attorney's chief of staff, confirmed in March that prosecutors received an inquiry about Steiner from Chapman Law School, where Steiner had been a part-time professor since 2008.

Schroeder said the inquiry was turned over to the Attorney General's Office because of a potential conflict of interest in the District Attorney's Office, where Steiner was a deputy district attorney for several years before he was elected to the bench.

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.